Salt Lake City Death Records Access
Salt Lake City death records are among the oldest in Utah, with documentation reaching back to 1848. As the state capital and largest city, Salt Lake City has a rich and well-preserved archive of vital records. Whether you are searching for a death certificate for legal purposes, settling an estate, or tracing family history, several offices serve residents and researchers. This page explains where to find Salt Lake City death records, how to request them, and what historical resources are available to you.
Salt Lake City Quick Facts
Where to Get Salt Lake City Death Records
The Salt Lake County Health Department issues certified death certificates for Salt Lake City. The main office is located at the Salt Lake Public Health Center in downtown Salt Lake City. Two additional branch locations serve other parts of the county. All three offices provide the same services and have the same hours. You can visit any of the three locations to obtain a Salt Lake City death certificate, regardless of which part of the county the death occurred in.
| Office | Salt Lake Public Health Center |
|---|---|
| Address | 610 South 200 East, Salt Lake City, UT 84111 |
| Phone | (385) 468-4230 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. |
| Service | Same-day in-person service |
| Online Orders | saltlakecounty.gov/health/vital-records/order |
The South Redwood Public Health Center is at 7971 South 1825 West, West Jordan, UT 84088, phone (385) 468-5312. The Ellis R. Shipp Public Health Center is at 4535 South 5600 West, West Valley City, UT 84120, phone (385) 468-3712. Both share the same weekday hours. Effective August 21, 2024, proof of relationship is required for all vital records requests, including Salt Lake City death certificates.
How to Search Salt Lake City Death Records Online
Several free and paid tools let you search Salt Lake City death records from home. The FamilySearch Utah Death Records collection holds death certificates and registers for Salt Lake City dating from 1848 through 1966. These older records are free to view and search by name, date, and location. This is the best starting point for historical research.
The Ancestor Hunt guide to free Utah death records lists additional free indexes and databases covering Salt Lake City. For recent records not yet in public archives, you can order online through VitalChek, which is the authorized online ordering service for Utah vital records. VitalChek processes requests on behalf of the state and county health departments. You can also use the Salt Lake County Health Department's own ordering page at saltlakecounty.gov.
The Utah Population Database at the University of Utah links vital records data for research purposes. It is primarily a research tool rather than a source for certified copies, but it can help confirm family relationships and dates found in Salt Lake City death records.
Note: Death records in Utah are restricted to qualified relatives and others with a direct interest for the 50 years following the death. Records older than 50 years become publicly available per Utah Code 26-2-22.
Obtaining Salt Lake City Death Certificates
You can get a certified Salt Lake City death certificate in person, by mail, or online. In-person requests at any Salt Lake County Health Department office receive same-day service. Bring a completed application form, a valid government-issued photo ID, and proof of your relationship to the deceased. Payment in person can be made by cash, check, money order, Visa, or Mastercard.
For mail requests, send a completed application, a legible photocopy of your ID, legible copies of your proof of relationship documents, and a check or money order made out to the Salt Lake County Health Department. Write "ATTN: VITAL RECORDS" on the envelope. Credit cards are not accepted for mail orders. Mail your request to the Salt Lake Public Health Center at 610 South 200 East, Salt Lake City, UT 84111. Mail orders are processed promptly and returned by mail.
Online orders go through VitalChek. This service accepts credit cards and handles delivery. The first certified copy of a Utah death certificate costs $30. Each additional copy ordered at the same time costs $10. These fees apply whether you order in person, by mail, or online.
Proof of relationship rules matter. If you are a child of the deceased, bring your own birth certificate showing the deceased as your parent. Siblings must provide their birth certificate showing a shared parent. If you are listed on the death certificate as the spouse at the time of death, no additional proof of relationship is needed. Others must show direct, legitimate interest in the record.
Salt Lake City Death Records History
Salt Lake City has the oldest continuously maintained death records of any city in Utah. The city began keeping death registers in 1848, just one year after the arrival of the first Mormon pioneers in the Salt Lake Valley. These early records predate statewide vital registration by more than five decades. Utah did not begin systematic state-level death registration until 1905.
Death records and indexes for Salt Lake City from 1848 through September 1950 are available on microfilm at the Family History Library. The Family History Library, located in Salt Lake City, is the largest genealogical library in the world and holds extensive collections of Utah vital records. The Utah State Historical Society, also based in Salt Lake City, maintains additional archives with death-related documents, obituaries, and burial records from across the state.
The Salt Lake City Cemetery is one of the largest cemeteries in Utah and holds burial records going back to the pioneer era. Sexton records from the Salt Lake City Cemetery include death dates and burial information. Other notable burial sites in the city include Mount Olivet Cemetery and Wasatch Lawn Memorial Park, each with their own historical records. These cemetery records often supplement or confirm information found in official death certificates.
For records from 1904 to 1966, the FamilySearch Utah Death Records index provides free access to scanned images of original death certificates and registers. These include both state-issued and city-issued records. The Utah State Archives holds records that are too recent for the FamilySearch collection but older than 50 years. Contact the Utah Division of Archives and Records Service for records older than 50 years that are no longer held by the county health department.
What Salt Lake City Death Certificates Include
A certified Salt Lake City death certificate from the Salt Lake County Health Department contains key facts about the person who died and the circumstances of the death. Modern certificates carry more detail than older records, but all include the core identifying information needed for legal and research purposes.
Standard fields on a Utah death certificate include the full legal name of the deceased, date and place of death, age and date of birth, cause of death and manner of death, name and address of the informant, place of burial or cremation, and signature of the attending physician or coroner. The certificate also lists residence at the time of death and may include occupation and Social Security number for more recent records.
Death certificates serve many legal and administrative purposes. Common uses include collecting life insurance, claiming pension or retirement benefits, accessing bank accounts, transferring real estate, settling estates, closing government accounts, and genealogical research. The CDC Where to Write guide for Utah provides additional context on using vital records for these purposes.
Note: Certified copies carry a raised seal or security paper and are the only form accepted for legal transactions. Plain photocopies do not serve as legal proof of death.
Historical Salt Lake City Vital Records Archives
Researchers looking for Salt Lake City death records before 1904 should focus on the city's own death registers and church records. The early LDS Church records from the 1840s and 1850s often documented deaths among church members in Salt Lake City. These records are held by the Family History Library and are searchable through FamilySearch. The church registers sometimes contain more detail than civil records of the same period.
State death certificates for Salt Lake City from 1904 through 1966 are fully indexed and available through the FamilySearch Utah collection. These records can be searched by name without creating an account. Viewing images of actual certificates requires a free FamilySearch login. The index allows you to search across all Utah counties, including Salt Lake City, at once.
The Utah vital records access statute governs who may obtain copies of death certificates from the state. For records over 50 years old, the restrictions ease and records become available to the general public under Utah Code 26-2-13.
Salt Lake County Death Records
Salt Lake City is the county seat of Salt Lake County. All death records for the city are maintained through the Salt Lake County Health Department. For broader county-level information, ordering details, and resources covering all cities and communities in the county, visit the Salt Lake County death records page.
Nearby Utah Cities
Other Salt Lake County cities are served by the same county health department. Select a city below to learn about death records in that area.